


Torn Asunder.

by Judithan



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-22
Packaged: 2017-12-12 16:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judithan/pseuds/Judithan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Broken hearts are tender, and his is so fragile I fear he may destroy himself at any moment. I would do anything to keep him together. I would do anything to make sure he's okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Worry.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to FF.net.  
> Also, why is this pairing so underloved?

The storm rolls in early in the afternoon, and I'm stuck inside for the day –so much for my plans with Luke to go downtown. Never would I claim to be a fan of rain, nor any weather aside from bright and sunny. But it doesn't matter, either way. Listening to the pitter patter of the rain outside and my sister's drowned out singing from the other room, I lay down. At least I've been given the opportunity to catch up on my lack of sleep, considering all of the exams I've been taking in the last couple weeks that I've had to cram for.

Sleep comes easily, and I accept it with open arms. In my dream, I'm silver and gold, and so very solidly liquid. Everything is dark, but vibrant, and I'm simultaneously sad and ecstatic. Almost every dream has been like this, and I'm only more assured of the reason why when he shows up –yet again- and this time he cups my face, oh so gently, and we meld together in a mess of metals and flowers.

We are always so close, in my dreams.

I'm startled awake by a loud chime, and a buzzing in my pocket. At first I'm terrified of what it could be, before I realize I'm still fully dressed and my phone is snug in my pocket, chirping and chiming away to the tune of a certain opening of a game I've grown to love dearly. Grumbling and rubbing the dried drool from my chine, I answer my phone, only noticing the caller id as I press 'accept'.

It's him. It's Sync.

"Guy? Is that you?" His voice is nervous, almost apprehensive, and I'm immediately worried. However, the sleepiness in my voice is the most evident thing, as it would be.

"Y-yeah, wha's up?" I'm making a fool of myself, and I can't even help it.

"O-oh, were you asleep? I'm sorry. If you want, I could call back later, or just not call, I guess. Sorry."

"No, don't worry. I was just taking a nap. Don't worry, I needed to get up anyway, I've been asleep for like-" Looking at the clock, I'm disgusted in myself a bit for letting it get so out of hand. "Well, somewhere close to six hours. I guess it's more of just 'sleeping' than napping, huh?" He laughs a little, but it sounds painful and forced, and I can feel it grip at my heart. He sounds so, so very distraught.

"Oh, alright." The relief in his voice nearly shatters my heart. I've always felt such a strong connection to him, considering how he's always in my thoughts and dreams, and I'm sick of how I hope for everything I won't ever get. Outside my room, I can hear Mary exiting her room and walking out the hallway, and I let out a sigh in relief. Usually she would come and pester her 'little brother' about this or that, and it never ends well.

"But, yeah, what's up? You never call me, so I take it something's up?" I prop myself up on my unoccupied arm, looking around my room to find that it's completely pitch black, minus the lines of light peaking through the door.

"Could you come over?"

"Uh, sure, I guess. When do you want to hang out? Tomorrow, or maybe next weekend?" I laugh a little, because this is all so sudden, and I want to see him right now, but I know he means some time later on. At least, I feel that's what he means. To be honest, I don't speak with him enough to know what he means or doesn't mean. To me, he's always just been an unrequited affection.

"Well, I was hoping you could come over right now. I really need someone." My heart stops, for all of a second, and as soon as I process what he says, I'm on my feet, rushing to my desk to rummage around for my car keys –which I had thrown at it in an angry stupor when I realized my plans were ruined, earlier.

"Oh, uh, I do have a car, so I could. But, what do you need me for? Is something wrong?" Even though I'm asking this, it doesn't matter. I've already found my keys, and I'm slipping on –or trying to slip on- my jacket. As it would be, talking on the phone and getting put together never works too well. But, I finish up anyway, and it only takes me a few moments to realize that he's silent, on his end.

"I've always had a problem with thunder." His voice is shaking, and I can practically feel his trembling hands and clenching teeth through the phone. However, I pretend not to. I pretend that I'm okay, and he's okay, even though I know he isn't.

"Why's that?" Some accuse me of caring too much, and to be honest, they're right, but I could never not care about someone, especially someone as dear as Sync.

"It reminds me of him –my brother. It reminds me of the day he – of the day he died." In the distance, I can hear the echoing sound of thunder outside, and over the phone, he whimpers just ever so quietly. I swallow the lump in my throat, and clench the fist that's holding my car keys.

"Oh, god, Sync. I'm so sorry."

"Can you hurry?" So quiet and genuine, I'm at the mercy of his gentle words, and I give in to his commands.

"I'll be over there before you know it." I hang up, but rush through the house so fast my sister and mother have no idea I've left, only that they heard my door open and close for the briefest of seconds. I've somewhere to be.


	2. Protection.

When I arrive at his complex, he's a whimpering mess, and I'm soaked to the bone. The windows in my car have never worked properly, and have always been rolled down half way. On sunny summer days, it's a wonderful breeze, but on chilly, thundering nights, it makes me so sincerely distressed. I've never been fond of the cold.

However, he doesn't mind a bit. The moment I knock on his apartment door, he swings it open, arms tightly wrapped around my waist in an instant. I've never known him to be anything other than awful, bitter and cruel, and I'm so pleasantly surprised by his kindness –even if I was the one showing kindness to him. When I look at him, my heart melts a bit – he has on a huge, oversized sweater, and shorts that barely peak out of the bottom. Even though I know he isn't trying, he still looks so innocent –so cute.

"Thank you so much for coming over. My mom is out right now, on business with the church, and I can never get through storms alone." His face is buried in my chest, his green hair surprisingly tame, and isn't sticking up in every direction like usual. It's a strange look on him, but I find it just as cute as anything else he does.

"Hey, it's alright. I don't exactly have any other plans at damn near midnight. Is it alright if I come inside, maybe dry off?" For a moment, he pauses, but eventually nods into my chest, removing himself so he can lead me inside by the hand.

Inside, he rushes us past the living room, only giving me the briefest of seconds to kick my shoes off at the door, before we turn a corner into a closed off, well-inhabited room. It only takes me a moment to register it as his room, and my stomach fills with butterflies.

"So, is there anything you need me to do? I just, if there's anything I can do for you, you can ask. I won't think it's weird." My voice is hesitant, and I know he can hear the nervousness in my voice. The shimmering light of mischief in his eyes says so, but it's quickly drowned out by the booming of thunder.

I'm on him in a second, holding his small frame close. While I know he would never admit it, he shivers, trembles, and I only hold him that much tighter. Even though he's so small, compared to me, he's so very strong, and holds me with surprising strength –surprising desperateness, even.

"Shhh, it's okay. Nothing can hurt you, it's all just a horrible memory." I feel him hiccup, and I try to hush soothing words to him, stroking his hair as we stand in the middle of his room, so very bright in contrast to the dark storm that has encompassed the city. In here, we are safe. The storm cannot touch us. The storm cannot harm him.

"I miss him, Guy. So much." The fragility of his words only makes me hold him that much tighter.

"I know how it feels. I almost lost my sister, several years ago, and I still have nightmares about it." He peaks his brilliant green eyes up at me, concern and worry latent in them. "Why do you think I don't get close to women? It's because I'm afraid of being left. I know you know how that is." Now, I'm trembling just as violently as him, and I can't feel like we're trying to keep each other together, but failing so miserably at it. The arms

"Guy, he was my world. Ion meant so much to me, but at the same time I hated him. Mom always doted on him, said he was her favorite, and I was just the problem child. And then, one day, he ran into the wrong person on the wrong day, and then –no more little brother." I can feel, in the way he clenches his fists around my soaking wet jacket, that he's more angry with himself than anyone else. Even though he doesn't think I do, I know exactly how he feels. I know how hard it is trying to accept the fact that someone you love might have just been stolen away from you, and there's nothing you can do about it. The only difference with Mary was that the bullet only grazed her temple.

"I know it hurts. But, trust me, with time, it'll be easier to think about." Now, he's openly sobbing, and I'm not even upset, considering my shirt was already soaked from the pouring rain.

"But, it's been so long, and it still hurts. What do I do if it never stops hurting?"

"Then I'll be there to bandage you up and make sure you don't hurt anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Sync, I would do anything and everything I could to make sure you're happy. Why else would I drive almost twenty miles in the pouring rain just to make sure you're okay?" The bittersweet smile that flashes on Sync's face when I speak is quickly replaced by one of absolute horror. Even though he's never been in a relationship –not counting the puppy love he gets from the theater department's main seamstress – I understand just how much he yearns for one. He wants so badly to feel the warmth of one individual's kind words, if only for the briefest of moments.

"Wait – do you mean-?" So suddenly, he pushes me away, eyes wide with fear.

"I love you."

"Guy – no, please don't say that. I'm terrible." The choking sob that escapes his mouth catches me off guard, and he buries his face in his hands. He's so very, very fragile, and I feel like I'm playing with his heart, and it hurts. This isn't how I wanted this to happen.

"That doesn't even matter to me. I think you're the most wonderful person I've ever met. When I'm near you, I just want to hold you, just like this, and tell you how much I love you, and how I'll never leave you. When I'm near you, I can't think straight, because all I can think about is you. Sync, I don't think you understand; I've been in love with you since the first time I met you, even with your cocky attitude and rude manners, I still find you so cute and charming, and I want to be near you always." Slowly, I scoop him back into my arms, and he doesn't resist, only tenses.

"But why me?" His voice is barely above a whisper, and it's nearly lost under the rain pour outside.

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"Yes! You don't get it, do you! I'm poison! I'm terrible! I'm a crybaby with a dead brother, and I haven't gone a day since he died without blaming myself for it. You don't want to like me, Guy, let alone, love me." His words are like a battle cry, but as he continues to speak, he looses his fight, and begins to simply openly sob.

"Then fill me with your venom, because it won't change my mind. I care about you, Sync."

"But what if I'm incapable of reciprocating?" I could feel his fists tightening on the back of my jacket, as though he were trying so dearly to just hold on to me. Everything about him right now was simply desperate, but it didn't bother me in the slightest.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you'll let me stay by your side, that'll be enough for me." One last call of thunder boomed over the horizon, and left him burying his face into my chest, and I only tightened my hold around his shoulders. He's so small, and it feels so wonderful to be able to hold him like this, like I can protect him, and cure him of all of the social plagues he's lived with. Like this, I can keep him safe and sound.

"You promise you won't leave me?" It's barely audible, but the hope in his voice is prevalent above all else. A smile crosses my lips, and I lean my head down and bury my face in his hair.

"On my life, I promise." He hiccups another time, but is silent, otherwise. Soaking wet, and in the middle of his messy bedroom, I've given him everything I am. Surprisingly cold, and dressed in nothing but an oversized sweater and shorts, he gives me everything he can.

Outside, the storm comes to a stop.


End file.
